Only in a Dream
by Pale Companion
Summary: Miyu's own longing is reflected in one of her victims. Sad, romantic, brief. R/R please?


________ONLY IN A DREAM_________________  
  
by Pale Companion  
  
Disclaimer: Miyu, Larva, and the other stuff in Vampire Princess Miyu doesn't belong to me, yada yada, wish it was mine but no such luck, blah blah, it's copyright to the people that actually own it.  
  
Kimochi, Sakura and Ojika are mine, not that I really want them.  
  
This is my first finished fanfic, so be kind. It's set in a universe where Larva can't take off his mask (like the original OAV). Yeah, I know, he's much more fun when you can see his gorgeous eyes and hear that sexy voice, but this heightens the angst of the story. Sorry.  
  
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"I'm hungry, Larva…I've got to feed." Miyu cast her eyes down to the dew- laden ground. The sun was rising slowly in the distance, and she could see it through the tangled web of black tree branches. A shift of dark material behind her, and then her companion was at her side. She took the slender, ethereal hand in hers. "It shouldn't take long…we'll stop in this village. I'll find someone…someone who wants something they can't have, and I'll give it to them."  
  
The pale hand that held hers tightened affectionately, and she looked up into his face. Only the mask stared back at her, expressionless, dull. She felt a stinging in her eyes and longed to see him again, to hear his voice. I can give people anything they want, and yet my own desires go unmet for all eternity, she thought bitterly. And yet this was untrue; in her dreams they danced together, without the mask, without the fear, without the destiny that held them prisoner. Only in her dreams was there any escape from her world.  
  
* * *  
  
Kimochi brushed her tangled black hair out of her face and rolled over onto her side, taking most of the rumpled sheets with her. The morning light filtered in through the blinds and fell in slanted lines across her bed. One of them cut across her face, and she shut her eyes tightly to block out the rays.  
  
"Kim? Are you awake? It's time to get up for school." Her mother's voice, coming from the hall.  
  
"No," came the muffled reply. Then the familiar sound of footsteps on hard wood floor, and suddenly the sheets being ripped off. "Mom!"  
  
"Don't you argue with me, young lady. Get out of that bed."  
  
Kimochi rolled over again and put her feet on the floor, wincing at the feeling of cold wood against her bare toes. "Where're my slippers…" she muttered groggily, searching with her feet for the fuzzy bunny heads that usually lay next to her bed. Once she had slipped them on, she stumbled sleepily down the hall to take a hot shower.  
  
Locking the door behind her, she slipped off her pajamas and turned to face herself in the mirror. The eyes that met hers were deep grey, and cloudy. She looked herself over again, wondering what was wrong with her. She was sixteen, of average height and weight. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but as far as she could tell she wasn't ugly. Why didn't he want her? No matter what she wore, how she walked, how she smiled, how she tried to speak to him, it was the same. She loved him, so much, more than he could ever know, and he never even realized. She and Ojika had been friends for years, but over that time her feelings for him had grown to an unbearable measure. As far as she could tell they were not returned, and she felt that telling him about them would be a betrayal of the friendship. So she tried desperately to make him fall for her, in whatever way she could, but seemed blind to all her attempts. It was useless. She turned the water on cold instead of hot and stepped in, clenching her teeth against the temperature, and let the cold flood wash away hot tears.  
  
* * *  
  
She arrived late for school, and the teacher scowled as Kimochi took her seat, still trying to straighten out her rumpled uniform. Ojika smiled sympathetically from the next row over, and gave her a small wave. She waved back, forgetting everything for a moment. The teacher's sharp voice snapped her back into reality, reminding her that her homework was still due today whether or not she had been in time to turn it in with the others. She blushed a deep red, and looked at the floor.  
  
Morning classes seemed to take forever, but lunch time came around as it did every day, and she sat alone until Ojika came bounding out of the glass doors with his book bag slung over his shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Kim, how's it going?" he asked cheerfully, taking a seat next to her and getting out his lunch. "You looked awful in science class."  
  
"I'm just tired," she replied. "Don't mind me."  
  
"That'd be hard. You radiate unhappiness, I can tell. I'm psychic, remember?" He tapped his head with his hand and laughed. She smiled. The joke had sprung from his uncanny ability to be right about most things, especially Kimochi's emotions. On occasion he'd even had premonitions. Sometimes she wondered whether he really was psychic.  
  
"I'm a little sad, I guess. It's nothing."  
  
"You can tell me. We've been friends since we were little kids. You've always told me everything before." Ojika knelt down in front of her to look into her eyes.  
  
God…he's right there, kneeling in front of me. Like he's proposing. This is too much. Kimochi turned her eyes away from his and shook her head.  
  
"Ok. But if you ever want to, I'll be around. I've got to go meet Sakura in the court, I'll see you later." He got up and started to leave.  
  
"Sakura?" Kimochi asked, her eyes widening.  
  
"Yeah, she asked me to go somewhere with her after school. We're making plans at lunch. See you in a bit." With that, he was off. Kimochi felt close to tears. Sakura was one of the most popular girls in school, and in Kimochi's opinion, much prettier than she was. She could see them together in her mind's eye, Sakura giggling and tugging on Ojika's arm, Ojika smiling at her and the two of them strolling off into the sunset while Kimochi would stay alone in the growing darkness. She could feel it closing on her now like a cold hand. It took her a moment to realize there really was a hand on her shoulder, and a chill went through her body.  
  
"Hello. Are you alright?" The girl who had spoken looked to be about Kimochi's age. She was deathly pale, and wore her hair in a bun on the side that trailed into a braid. Intertwined in the braid was a red ribbon. It caught the sun and flashed in Kimochi's widening eyes. She blinked, but the girl was still there. She looked up into the stranger's eyes, and her breath caught in her chest. The girl's eyes were a gleaming gold. "I said, are you alright?"  
  
"Y-yes. Thank you." Kimochi became aware that she had been staring, and averted her eyes. "Are you new here?"  
  
"Yes. I've just arrived from Kyoto. Is it nice here?" The girl looked around her, seeming to take in all the sights and sounds at one glance.  
  
"It's alright, I guess," Kimochi replied. She didn't sound terribly convincing. She fumbled with her lunch bag and tried to think of ways to excuse herself. The girl gave her the creeps, though she wasn't sure why.  
  
"You don't seem very happy. Is there anything I can do for you?" The question caught Kimochi by surprise. It was the first time anyone had asked her that, aside from sales clerks or receptionists. She suddenly wondered whether the girl really could do something for her, but dismissed the notion as silly after a moment's thought. Who was this stranger, anyway?  
  
"What's your name?" she asked, dodging the girl's question subconsciously.  
  
"Miyu," the girl replied. A small smile formed on her lips, and it looked oddly out of place.  
  
"I'm Kimochi…you can call me Kim."  
  
"I'll see you around, Kim," said Miyu, and was gone.  
  
* * *  
  
Ojika felt a pang in his chest, and stopped walking.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sakura's bubbly voiced drifted into his ears. He looked at her and smiled.  
  
"Nothing. Just a little pain in my chest." Or was it in my heart? He cast it aside and took Sakura's hand. She was lovely, and he felt exhilarated just by being in her presence. So what was troubling him? "It's almost time for class…we should get back. I'll meet you at the ice cream shop at six, ok?"  
  
"Sure thing, cutie. Bye." She smiled and went her separate way, and Ojika watched her go. She could make him happy. Satisfied, maybe not, but happy. He thought of Kimochi and her face when they'd spoken before. Her love for him had been obvious for years, but since he didn't return it, he never mentioned it to her. He knew she would be a better choice than Sakura, and yet he was drawn to Sakura in a way that he wasn't to Kim. He sighed and looked up at the sky. Why couldn't he love Kim? It would make everything easier. Life, he knew, was never meant to be easy, but he still wished it could be somewhat less of a hell.  
  
He saw the other students starting to make their way back inside to the classrooms, and started to get up. He stopped as the pain came back. Suddenly he was looking at Kimochi's face, except there was a strange look in her eyes. He closed his eyes to shut out the vision, but it only became stronger. She was standing in front of him but looking right through him. Her head was cocked to one side as if she'd been hung, and a little drool glistened at the corner of her mouth. Her lids looked heavy, and her arms were limp at her sides. She began to fall forwards, into him, and he was dimly aware of trying to hold out his hands to catch her. Her flickering form went completely through him, but as her neck passed by he caught sight of two gleaming red dots and heard an earth-shattering scream. Barely able to keep his own scream locked in his throat, he opened his eyes to daylight the sound of Kimochi's voice. Now she was asking him if he was all right, and now holding his hand in hers and shaking him. "W-what? Kim?" he stuttered.  
  
"Ojika, you looked like you were having a nightmare standing up!" Kimochi looked at him with concern in her eyes. Ojika's gaze went immediately to her neck, but he found no scars there. She was safe and sound. He didn't understand.  
  
"I'm fine," he lied. "Let's get back to class." Kimochi nodded solemnly and followed him inside, wondering what he'd seen, and thinking about Miyu.  
  
* * *  
  
The sun was beginning to set, and Kimochi was on her way home. She heard Ojika's laughter in her mind, and images of him flashed in front of her eyes. She knew she would never be able to have him…he was as far away from her as if he was on the other side of the widest ocean. She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes against the bitter tears that she knew would come. Maybe Sakura would be better for him. Maybe she could make him happy in ways that Kimochi couldn't. It just wasn't meant to be.  
  
She became aware of footsteps behind her, but instead of looking back, she quickened her pace. Her pursuer's footsteps quickened in time with hers. She felt her heart begin to beat faster and faster. She was reaching the forest near her home now, but instead of crossing the street to her house, she plunged into the darkened trees at a full-blown run. Twigs and sticks crunched beneath her shoes, and branches whipped at her face and hair. Her breath was coming in short spurts now, and the tears were streaming down her cheeks. She had no idea what she was doing, but she was being driven to the center of the forest and whatever was following her intended to face her there. She saw a clearing coming up and burst out into the open air, sobbing uncontrollably. The fell to the ground and hid her face in her hands. The footsteps stopped behind her, and her stalker waited patiently for her to wipe her eyes. When she looked up, her eyes were gazing into endless pools of gold. Miyu put out her hand and helped Kimochi to her trembling feet.  
  
"I can give you what you want, Kim. I can give you eternal happiness."  
  
"How?" Kimochi whispered, shaking.  
  
"Just let me take…a little of your blood…" Miyu slid in towards her, pale arms embracing the quivering girl, gentle face sliding along Kimochi's cheek towards her neck. Kimochi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"Do it…" she whispered, and held her breath. She felt Miyu's teeth sink in and then everything was gone…everything. It was just she and Ojika, together, laughing and holding each other and kissing like lovers, forever.  
  
Miyu stepped back from the empty body of the girl named Kimochi, and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She turned to go, and came face to face with a boy with tears in his eyes.  
  
"I was too late," he panted, and the expression on his face was so pained that Miyu felt something stir in her heart.  
  
"You would never have fallen in love with her. I gave her what she desired."  
  
"You killed her…she's dead…you monster…" Ojika touched Kimochi's face with his hand, gently. Her eyes went right through him, just as they had in his vision. Her body was still breathing, but her mind was gone.  
  
"Go back…let her live in her dream." Miyu drifted back into the shadows and was gone, leaving Ojika to weep over the body of his closest friend.  
  
* * *  
  
"Why? Why do they fall in love with the ones they can never have? I don't understand them," Miyu sighed, and leaned back against a tree. Larva laid his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him. "I made her happy. I gave her what she wanted, a dream of his love…but what about me?" She turned to face Larva completely, and now her voice was strained. "Can I love, or is it only in my dreams? If I do love, do I love in vain as these mortals do? Larva…"  
  
She felt the tears in her eyes, and bit her lip. "Larva…I…I…"  
  
She felt his warmth, felt him lean in close to her, arms enveloping her in his darkness, and she threw her own arms around his neck. She closed her eyes, and parted her lips slightly. She felt the cold mask against her flesh, and she kissed it as if it were his mouth. In her dreams, it was his skin that she touched, and in her dreams he told her that he loved her, with the voice he was unable to use. 


End file.
